It seemed like a good idea to buy the soundtrack to “Across the Universe”. Annabelle’s really into the Beatles right now. Conversation in the car: “Mommy, is that a Beatles song?” “Yes.” (Few minutes later.) “Mommy, is that a Beatles song?” “Yes.” (Few minutes later.) “Mommy, is that –” “Yes!” “Mommy, don’t you think the [...]

Last week, Sophie started calling Ray and me “Daddy-o” and “Mommy-o”. I have no idea where that came from, but it’ll be appropriate, I suppose, at Annabelle’s bowling-themed birthday party Sunday. (I’m bummed — I wanted to put “We Had a Bowl” on the goody bag tags, but realized in the nick of time that, um, [...]

I maintain that Sophie’s the best judge of character. If she gives you the thumbs up, I’ll be your friend, too. So I wasn’t surprised when, within minutes of her arrival, Megan had already been whisked away to Annabelle’s room for a visit with Dr. Sophie, equipped with plastic toys from a half dozen doctors [...]

It’s official. I have to find Sophie some friends. At least, some play dates — specifically, the therapists tell me, play dates with girls (or very mellow boys) a little younger, 3 and a half or 4. And it’s got to be in a controlled environment: One on one. For about an hour. Annabelle can’t [...]

Somehow, the topic of underpants came up at dinner the other night. I have written in the past about how I feel, as Sophie’s mother, a responsibility to make sure she always looks her best. That means no overalls or sailor shirts, and I’m still debating the denim dress with star-shaped bandana-print appliques, silver studs [...]

In our house, apparently, we don’t play school. We play therapy. We came home this morning from breakfast with my grandfather. It’s going to be 110 today, so options are limited. “No TV!” Ray admonished, and since it’s Father’s Day, I toned down my objection. DIdn’t matter — Annabelle immediately invited Sophie into her room. [...]

One day when Annabelle was about a year and a half old, I plopped her in her high chair, shoved the Grinch into the VCR and gave her some orange construction paper and blue paint. She made some lovely, messy finger paintings that I proudly framed and gave away as holiday gifts. This afternoon, I plopped [...]

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sung the song “Hey Jude” this past year. I’ve sung it into the phone — while in the grocery store, in a Thai restaurant in Orange County, in the car, on the street — but mostly in Annabelle’s room, standing over her bed and rubbing her [...]

  “Sophie, want to play with my iphone?” Now that’s a line you’ve never going to hear coming out of my mouth. It came instead from under a dark green sheet, in the form of Ray, half-asleep and desperate for a few more minutes. Annabelle slept til 9 this morning, and Ray and I would sleep [...]

Poor Rosy. If Ernie hadn’t died, she would have been headline news much earlier this week. She’s been the topic of discussion in print before — I once sold a piece about her to salon.com for enough money to buy a red Kate Spade organizer, which I carried for years. (You can read the piece here: [...]